Airport expects record passenger numbers

Queenstown airport was expected to clock a record 790,000 passengers by the end of this financial year, the airport's chief executive Steve Sanderson told the resort's tourism industry yesterday.

The airport was expecting a total of 690,000 domestic passengers and 100,000 international passengers through its arrivals lounge for the year ending June 30. International passengers were up 34 per cent so far this financial year, thanks to an increase in Australian visitors.

Domestic seat capacity was down 1 per cent but loadings were up 78 per cent.

The airport's 16 international flights a week last winter would expand to 24 flights a week this winter, Mr Sanderson said.

The corporation expected to invest $25m in the airport during the next five years, with $8m allocated to its compulsory (RESA) runway extensions, which had to be in place by next year.

It would cost the corporation an estimated $1m to implement new noise boundaries for the airport.

Mr Sanderson also urged hoteliers to be more vocal in supporting the corporation's proposed plan change to extend its operating hours from 10pm till midnight.

PROJECTIONS

Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes told Queenstown hoteliers yesterday that council modelling showed: wthe district was likely to be hosting 4.3m visitors by 2030, up from 1.3m annually now wthe district's population now was between 32,000 and 33,000 – 26,000 of those residents wthe district's population doubles to 71,000 during Christmas and January peak holidays – that will double to 140,000 by 2030.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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